The case of the sticky rudder stock

My 1999 Najad 441 had wheel steering and a rudder supported by a lower pintle mounted on a substantial moulded skeg. My pre-purchase survey had identified nothing untoward as regards the steering and when the boat was first launched I felt confident with the arrangement, although the helm did feel stiffer than I’d expected.

A grease cup is mounted immediately below the upper gland on the stock (hidden beneath the aft cabin bunk). This was given a couple of turns before we launched the first time and then regularly thereafter.

During our first year we sailed south across Biscay and ended the season near Barcelona where the boat was laid up ashore in October 2014. In the rush to launch